(PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
DISTRICT CHAMPS … Hilltop libero Brooklyn Kuszmaul hits a jump serve during Thursday night’s Division VII district final at Archbold High School. VIEW 105 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
REGIONAL BOUND … Elena VanArsdalen sets up a Cadet hitter in Hilltop’s four-set win over Ayersville. Hilltop will take on New Knoxville in the regional semifinals on Halloween night.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (October 23, 2024) – According to Hilltop volleyball coach Janice Bruner it’s been much longer than one generation since the Cadets have had a 6-footer on the court.
They now have a pair of them in 6’3 Libbie Baker and 6’ Brynn Rodriguez, and the twin towers were dominating in Hilltop’s 25-11, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18 romp over Ayersville to claim the Division 7 District title at Archbold.
“It means a lot,” Bruner said referring to the district championship. “Libbie was a freshman when we went to regionals last time and for her to get there again is huge.”
“Libbie as a freshman was only the second 6’-footer in 37 years of coaching and the first one was the first two years I coached.” Hilltop’s trip to the regionals will be the second in the last four years.
After Brooklyn Michel’s kill from the middle and solo block had given the Pilots an early 3-0 lead, the Cadets rattled off 12 of the next 15 points to take control of the first set with Baker being the largest factor.
It was Baker from the left, Baker out of the middle and Baker swooping down the right side for three of those points, then she painted the sideline from the slot and had a resounding solo block to help the Cadets to a 12-6 lead.
Baker had two more block kills and Rodriguez an ace in the first set romp. Ayersville came back in the second with freshman Kendyll Booher countering Baker or Rodriguez kills with one of her own at critical times.
In all Baker had 12 shots that split wood in the second set and Rodriguez five more, but Booher had eight kill shots, including one that gave the Pilots a 25-24 lead.
Baker’s last of her dozen scoring shots knotted the set back up but Lanie Sheets deep push put the Pilots on top and after a missed serve, Michel’s bullet and Kendra Waldron’s score from the left gave the Pilots the set.
Hilltop started fast in the third as Eleana VanArsdalen’s ace capped a five-point opening burst to give the Cadets a 5-1 lead.
Booher’s kill and Michel’s ace regained a tie at 5-5 and the teams battled back-and-forth to 12-12 when Rodriguez gave the Cadets the lead for good.
Her third time laser split the Pilot defense to make it 13-12 and Hilltop was never headed again. Rodriguez had five more kills, the last a set-ending blast from the middle to put Hilltop up 2-1.
With elimination standing on the doorstep, Ayersville took a 7-6 lead in the fourth set. Booher and Michel each had scores to give the Pilots a lead, but Hilltop had an emphatic answer.
Rodriguez slammed back-to-back blocks and Hayden JoHantgen followed with consecutive aces to put the Cadets back on top and Baker led them home.
The 6’3 senior snapped off five more rounds out of her holster, the last, an ear-splitting missile down the middle that ended the match,
“With Libbie and Brynn there is always that possibility of a really big play,” Bruner explained of the momentum shifting scores.
“Whether it’s hitting of blocking that just sparks us and then go back and serve…and you get things like aces that just pumps us up.”
The Cadets go into the regionals with a record of 22-3 and play New Knoxville at Lakota High School on Halloween night.
Hilltop d. Ayersville, 25-11, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18
AYERSVILLE (11-14): Rylan Becher – 41/46 hitting, 12 kills, 19/19 serving, 4 aces, 17 digs; Allison Eldridge – 14 digs, 35 assists; Kendra Waldron – 31/33 serve receiving, 19 digs; Lanie Sheets – 15 digs; Makayla Sierra – 27/28 serve receiving, 25 digs
HILLTOP (22-3): Elena VanArsdalen – 23/23 serving, 3 aces, 60/60 setting, 29 assists; Brynn Rodriguez – 46/51 hitting, 20 kills; Libbie Baker – 62/67, 26 kills; Hayden JoHantgen – 47/47 setting, 15 assists